Topiary Shawl in Berroco Millefiori Light - 393-6 - Downloadable PDF

Topiary Shawl in Berroco Millefiori Light – Pattern Summary

The Topiary Shawl is a beautifully designed knitted shawl created by Amy Christoffers and published by Berroco. This downloadable PDF pattern produces a single, generously sized shawl with finished measurements of approximately 70 inches across the top edge by 21 inches long after blocking. It is rated as an intermediate skill level project, making it a rewarding challenge for knitters who are comfortable with lace techniques and reading charted patterns.

What Is Being Made

The finished object is a large, elegant lace shawl or wrap, worked in one size. Its sweeping 70-inch top edge gives it a dramatic, wearable wingspan, while the 21-inch length provides excellent coverage across the shoulders and back. Shawls of this style are typically worn draped over the shoulders, tied loosely at the front, or wrapped around the neck as a scarf-style accessory. The name Topiary evokes a sense of structured natural beauty, suggesting that the lace pattern may draw visual inspiration from garden forms and botanical shapes.

Techniques Used

• Worked flat: The shawl is knitted back and forth in flat rows rather than in the round, which is a common construction method for triangular or rectangular shawls. This approach allows the lace pattern to be worked with right-side and wrong-side rows clearly defined.
• Lace knitting: The primary decorative technique is lace, which involves a combination of yarn overs and decreases to create an open, airy fabric with decorative holes and motifs. Reading and following a charted pattern is central to this design, so knitters should be comfortable interpreting knitting charts.
• Blocking: Blocking is an essential finishing step for this pattern. The gauge itself is measured after blocking, which means wet or steam blocking will significantly open up the lace stitches and bring the shawl to its full intended dimensions. Blocking is what transforms knitted lace from a compressed fabric into the delicate, defined design it is meant to be.

Stitches Used

• Charted lace pattern stitches: The body of the shawl is worked from a charted pattern, which typically incorporates yarn overs, knit-two-together (k2tog), slip-slip-knit (ssk), and other standard lace decrease stitches to form the decorative motifs.
• The gauge is given as 18 stitches and 28 rows = 4 inches in the charted pattern after blocking, which serves as the benchmark for achieving the correct finished size.

Materials – Yarn, Needles, and Notions

• Yarn: The pattern calls for Berroco Millefiori Light, a sport weight yarn, in colorway #6888 Iris. A total of 2 balls (each 100 grams) are required. Berroco Millefiori Light is a lightweight yarn well suited to lace knitting, offering excellent stitch definition and drape that allows the open lace structure to shine after blocking.
• Needles: The pattern recommends a 29-inch circular needle in size 7 (4.50 mm), or the size needed to obtain the correct gauge. Circular needles are used here not for knitting in the round, but to accommodate the large number of stitches that accumulate across the wide top edge of the shawl as it grows.
• Notions: A tapestry needle is required for weaving in ends and finishing.

Pattern Format and Designer

The Topiary Shawl pattern is available as a downloadable PDF, designed by Amy Christoffers and published by Berroco, Inc. It is an ideal project for intermediate knitters looking to develop their lace skills while creating a stunning, wearable accessory. As noted in the pattern, all PDF files are updated when corrections are made, so knitters are encouraged to ensure they have downloaded the most current version before casting on.